George Zimmerman failed to identify himself twice during a confrontation with Trayvon Martin and missed opportunities to defuse the situation that led to the death of the teen, a detective says in a newly released report.
Zimmerman, who served as a neighborhood watch volunteer, is charged with second-degree murder in the February 26 shooting death of Martin, 17, in Sanford, Florida.
The revelation is part of information Florida prosecutors released Tuesday. It includes a previously undisclosed portion of a video of Zimmerman showing injuries he said he suffered in the altercation with Martin.
Zimmerman, 28, told police he shot the teenager in February in self-defense and has pleaded not guilty. But Martin's family and civil rights activists said Zimmerman, who is white and Hispanic, racially profiled Martin and ignored a 911 dispatcher's advice not to follow him.
FULL STORY
George missed opportunities to defuse the situation, and Trayvon ALSO missed opportunities to diffuse the situation (you know, by choosing physical violence over talking it out)... Goes BOTH ways, but, it seems that the AP, the Reverends, the Black Panther's, and the other race baiter's, don't want to see the other side, if it paints Trayvon in a bad light....
Actually I think Zimmerman is mentally unstable. The fact is Trayvon was not commiting Zimmerman instigated the whole thing. Too bad that Trayon did not know he had have hsi permission ot walk he commited no crime. He got in a fight trying to detain Trayvon and then made up a riidiculous story to cover up what happened which iuncredibly poeple believe.
Trayvon ran away from Zimmerman twice.
@ Brutally Honest, true both parties couldve TRIED to diffuse the situation. Zimmerman could have diffused it by standing down as he was instructed too by the 9ll operator. As for Travon, i have a feeling nothing he coulda done, george was on a mission!
Zimmerman was not told to stop following by a 911 operator, he was told to stop following by a uniformed Sanford PD officer. Zimmerman on that call didn't dial 911 but instead dialed the non-emergency line of the Sanford PD, which is staffed by police officers.
This is why the officer on the other end sounded so authoritative, he was giving instructions to Zimmerman. George then ignored it and told the officer to call him back.
@ h, unfortunately that is true! But it will all come out in the end. & WHO immediately sets up a plea via the web for financial help except someone whos guilty? There will always be bigoted people who will believe just because Trayvon is black, guilty!
It's because he chose to come up and sucker punch Zimmerman after LOSING him.
There is no evidence that Trayvon Martin attacked Zimmerman, other than Zimmerman's claim. The purported attack was not witnessed by anybody.
Zim man could have defused the situation up until the point Trayvon punched him then it was up to Trayvon. But unfortunately zim diffused it by killing Trayvon. Zim is an idiot. I could never defend that, but he is no murderer. If trayvon never attacked Z he would be alive today
Zimmerman is not an idiot. He went home after shooting Trayvon and came up with the perfect story to cover up the murder.
Well he must have been a super genius to know exactly what the eye witnesses would say to colaborate his story. Like the witness who seen the attack and Trayvon beating Z and Z yelling for help. But that guy must be in on it too. Z=idiot but no murderer
Well he stalked, and confronted Trayvon and killed him in cold blood, Georgie was getting his ass kicked so he shot an innocent kid carrying skittles and ice tea
You may be right on the confronting part, that is no crime to ask somebody why they are in a neighborhood, you are completely right about the ass kicking George recieved leaving him no choice but to pull the trigger. The poor young man learned the hard way why you don't attack people. You never know who has a knife or a gun.
He has a history of agressive behavior and I can see him trying to capture someone. I also think that some one might be scared if they were followed in a vehicle and on foot. I think the passive way he talks is becaue he is around authority figures. I think he is very dangerous becaue he has poor judgement and is really paranoid. why was he armed on the way to Target or was he just patroling
no, I Zimmerman stayed in his car, there would have been no murder. The police were there less than 3 minutes later! Instead, he was so pumped on trying to get Trayvon, he lost sight of what his job really was.
Brandishing a weapon with intent to intimidate is illegal in Florida, even if you don't point the weapon at the person. Zimmerman approached the unarmed Martin with a gun. Martin was 17 and couldn't legally carry a firearm.
He is not truthful and hosnestly I think he is mentally unstable. He turned a non-event in to a death destroyed so many lives and now is being made a hero by people with their own agenda.
@Ernie
Sorry but I beg to differ. Why would anybody have the right to approach me as I am walking and ask me what I am doing in said area? Is this not the USA, land of the free? There are people in this country who feel that cops shouldn't even have that right. So no, Zman had no authority whatsoever to do what he did, just as you and I do not have such authority. Think about it.